My Mom's Poodle

Although I have experienced paranormal events - great and small - all my life, I've never written them, or discussed them openly unless I felt compelled and safe to do so. People don't treat the topic lightly and some get very upset. If it meets the approval of the readers here I will share some of those experiences. Please be gentle in your comments as this is my first attempt and I am feeling rather exposed and vulnerable about this endeavor.

I considered starting with some of my earliest memories, from about age three, but I think that starting my experiences at a later, more self-aware age is a better introduction. I chose eleven because it's old enough to hold credence, but not completely tied up in possible pubescent hormones. Besides who would believe I used to see someone in two places at once? Please enjoy Squidgem's story.

In 1974 my mother's birthday present was a white toy poodle she named 'Squidgem.' I have no clue why. Squidgem was a cute but highly strung little thing. He was also distinctly my mother's dog. He didn't tolerate us kids at all. He was mean, snappy, snarly, growly, and prone to biting any one of us for simply walking past him. I can honestly say I never did anything to earn his wrath. I can't say the same for any of my four brothers. Of course if they got caught teasing him my mom would grab the paddle.

Squidgem's favorite pass time was to sit on the porch with my mom and watch the neighborhood. We lived in a quiet residential neighborhood that saw little traffic and was a great place to raise kids.

Five years after she got Squidgem, she left him on the porch and went inside to get a Coke. This part comes from my mother, told to me after I got home from school. She had just gotten her Coke when she heard a pop, and then Squidgem yelped. He was bleeding and yelping, and she called my dad. They rushed the pup to the vet. He died there from the shot of a BB gun. She never told me where he was injured, never told me about the blood, and how it poured and pooled around him, never told me he tried to lick is own wound. I was too young to hear that kind of gore.

About two weeks later I was sound asleep in my bed when an odd sound woke me. I couldn't place it, it was just so odd. It sounded like whimpering and a dog licking it's paws. I was curious but not really concerned because strange noises are a norm for me. I have always slept with a night light, not because I am afraid of the dark, but because of what I can and can't see in the dark. Being afraid of the dark, and being afraid of what's in the dark are two very different things.

I sat up and looked to where the sound was coming from. Squidgem, white fur almost glowing and a red glistening stain spreading along his left side was curled up almost in a cashew shape. He was licking his left side and there was a spreading pool of red under him.

I froze, literally paralyzed with terror. I had seen things before but mostly shadowed or in a kind of transparent overlay, but this... I knew him. He wasn't a shape, shadow, or strange face. Squidgem looked real; like he was bleeding out on my bedroom floor, like I could touch him. I was so terrified I couldn't even scream; I could barely even breathe. The last thing I remember hearing the air whistle in my lungs as I fought the fear. I have no memory of what happened after that but I think I might have fainted.

When I woke there was no sign of dog or blood. I didn't tell my family. I put it out of my mind and it never happened again.

At a family dinner about seven years later, Squidgem was mentioned, and that's when I was told that Squidgem had been shot on his left side and that when my mom laid him down on the floor to call my dad, Squidgem had crawled into my room and that he had actually died there, not at the vets. My oldest brother said that he had been the one to clean up the blood so I wouldn't know and get freaked out.

I relayed to them what had happened, the details, and my mom told me that she'd heard the same sounds coming from my room but thought she was hearing things. We let the matter drop after that and played a game of hearts, but, I have to admit, I stopped by my old room and said a small prayer. It was much too late but I hope... Anyway, I hope you enjoyed Squidgem's story.

Comments about this paranormal experience

The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, MaggieMay_Not, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

MaggieMay_Not (4 stories) (15 posts)

+2

2 months ago (2017-10-10)

AugustaM - I am not sure about monster. Probably just a careless kid. To the best of my knowledge no other pets were shot with BB guns in the entire time I lived in the neighborhood.
It's actually not so odd, at least not for me. It tends to be a recurring theme for me. For example, before I went into the military, I was working as a hostess at a Denny's. This couple with their two kids came in and for some reason, instead of asking if they wanted coke or milk, I asked if they wanted Roy Rogers or Shirley temple. NOT normal for a Denny's menu at all. The lady literally went white and looked like she was going to cry. She excused herself to the bathroom, the gentleman asked why I offered those drinks. I said I didn't know, it just seemed right. Then he explained that they had just came from her mother's funeral. When she was young, her mother used to take her out to have a Roy Rogers or Shirley Temple. It was their bond.
So action/reaction seems to happen a lot. I still don't know about WHY I asked as I never had and never did again, but I just accept and move on.
Thank you for the kind welcome.
Maggie

MaggieMay_Not (4 stories) (15 posts)

2 months ago (2017-10-10)

Kest, I have no idea if it still happens. My family left that house some years ago. It actually makes me sad to think that it might, that Squidgem might be an 'abandoned' pet.

MaggieMay_Not (4 stories) (15 posts)

+1

2 months ago (2017-10-10)

Thank you for your comment lady-glow. Residual or not, I could have done without seeing it. I am working on my next post. It should be submitted in the next two days or so.

You are welcome - my pleasure.

AugustaM (2 stories) (429 posts)

+1

2 months ago (2017-10-10)

Well, someone in that neighborhood is a monster! I sincerely hope it was some sort of a freak accident...

Its odd for me to come across this story this morning. I often joke that I was 'raised by' my mother's miniature poodle, Annie. She passed when I was 17 and she was 18. I haven't been lucky enough to dream of her since then (nearly 15 years) but for a hand full of times at most. Last night, I dreamed of her (and the dream wasn't exactly warm and fuzzy... A neighbor had come over, wanted to meet her and there she was... But I kept on trying to explain to the neighbor that she was dead -yet there she still was...odd). Strange indeed 🤔 I nearly dropped my coffee when I saw your story pop up!

I understand your feelings of hesitancy regarding sharing of your paranormal experiences. You don't need to feel worried about the reception you'll find here - this is a great community. Mind you, they will ask questions but no one means any disrespect by their speculation and questioning - they ask because they are genuinely curious and interested. Welcome to YGS 😊

MaggieMay_Not (4 stories) (15 posts)

2 months ago (2017-10-10)

Thank you for your comment, L_Melb. I agree, it was most likely a residual view, and yes, violence is ugly. I genuinely believe whoever shot the BB gun didn't mean to kill him. Remember BB guns were common and not considered lethal back at that time. The person who shot him probably thought it would bounce off or maybe do a hard bite.

Kest (6 stories) (26 posts)

2 months ago (2017-10-09)

My heart is sad for Squidgem. Sounds like a residual haunting and I wonder if it still happens. Look forward to hearing about more of your experiences.

lady-glow (8 stories) (1622 posts)

2 months ago (2017-10-09)

That was such a cruel thing to do to poor Squidgem!
I agree with L_Melb, your experience looks like a residual of the poodle's last moments.

Looking forward to read more of your experiences.

Thanks for sharing.

L_Melb (202 posts)

+1

2 months ago (2017-10-09)

How fascinating!
Looks like a residual "view" of his final moments.
Unfortunately, he may have been snappy towards someone who wasn't so understanding - violence is ugly
Poor Squidgem! Thanks for sharing this interesting experience 😊

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